The present invention relates generally to convertible roofs for automotive vehicles and more particularly to a power latch used with an automotive vehicle convertible roof.
It is common to employ manually operated or electrically powered latches to secure a number one roof bow of a convertible roof to a front header panel of an automotive vehicle body. Many conventional convertible roof latches employ a hook-like member which projects from beyond the front header or number one bow for engaging a striker. One such example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,149, entitled "Apparatus and Method for Securing a Convertible Roof to an Automotive Vehicle" which issued to Tokarz on Apr. 29, 1997; this patent is incorporated by reference herein. Other latches are known which rotate about a moving pivot which is disposed on an opposite end of the latch from the striker engaging hook. This construction is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,586, entitled "Device for Lowering the Free End of a Vehicle Cover" which issued to Hahn et al. However, many traditional latches suffer from extremely confined packaging space. This often causes awkward and remote positioning of the power actuator relative to the latch. Furthermore, many of the striker engaging hooks are unable to maximize the mechanical advantage of the device and instead, project in an offset manner from the pivot axis and from the driving linkage connection.
In accordance with the present invention, a preferred embodiment of a power latching system is employed for securing a convertible roof to an automotive vehicle body. In another aspect of the present invention, a striker is movably mounted to either a forward or rearward portion of a convertible roof which is operably engaged by an automatically powered latch mounted to the vehicle body. A further aspect of the present invention allows for the automatically powered latch to be mounted to the convertible roof while the striker is mounted to the body. Still another aspect of the present invention employs a rotatable latch having a striker engaging slot internally projecting from a generally circular periphery wherein the latch is operably rotated by an electromagnetic device. In yet another aspect of the present invention, a rotatable latch traps a striker within an internal latch housing receptacle. Another aspect of the present invention serves to rotate the portion of the striker engaged with the latch to an over center position beyond the latch's pivot axis. A power latch of the present invention acts to secure a rearmost portion of a convertible roof against a movable tailgate of an automotive vehicle in another aspect of the present invention.
The power latch of the present invention is advantageous over traditional latches in that the present invention employs a geometrically balanced striker engaging member which efficiently uses the mechanical advantage of the system. It is also advantageous that a majority, if not all, of the latch movement occurs within a protective housing and within the vehicle body to which it is mounted; this provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance when the roof is retracted. The power latch of the present invention is ideally suited for use with a convertible roof that is downwardly collapsible against a movable tailgate or upwardly against a rear header panel; for example, the power latch can be placed in previously unused packaging space without the need for remote cables or connecting rods, and the associated expense and routing difficulties associated with such conventional constructions. Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.